I was just feeling a little sulky because all the interesting conferences seemed so far away and unaffordable, and then I stumbled across a post about this on the Verla Kay message board. Perfect! Pullman--well, 'nuff said--and I've read and enjoyed some of Kenneth Oppal's work, and heard lots of great stuff about Turner (I've put her first book on hold at the library so I can read at least it ahead of time). Plus it appeals to the logical/scientific side of me as well as the artistic side.

apparently my SIL knows Megan...I'm not sure in what capacity, but when THE THIEF came out, she gave me a copy and said, "We know her. Read this." I did. I liked it, though I haven't yet gotten into the second and third books.

The second and third books are, IMO, exponentially better than the first. I thought the first was okay but didn't see anything that special about it; after reading II and III, though, I was firmly hooked. (And now I love Book I as well, but it took me another reading to really appreciate it.)